The Darkening Days
by ivory-sword
Summary: Part Four in my Narnia series. Order: Aslan's Return, Beyond Narnia, The Unicorn's Spell, The Darkening Days. Emma and Iva find themselves back in Narnia two years later only to find that many more years have passed in Narnia. Caspian and Eve greet them with a surprise, and Emma finds herself falling for a volatile young prince with a taste for adventure and danger.
1. Chapter One

_Author's Note: Sudden inspiration to start my newest Narnia fanfiction. I promise this one will be more like the first one and way better than the last one. Way more excitement, adventure, and romance. I'll be introducing a new character who is featured in one of the Narnia stories by C.S. Lewis. Enjoy reading. I'll try to keep updating as soon as possible. In all my fanfictions. _

Part One: Two Years Later

Emma Dowers waited impatiently at the train station, tapping her saddle shoes against the concrete station platform. She kept glancing around, her sapphire eyes taking in every detail of the crowd that waited around her for the 4:00 train. It was summer break, and she was headed back home for two months. She was looking forward to seeing her family and exploring the new estate they had recently inherited from her grandfather. She'd been there a few times on visits when her grandparents were still alive, but she hardly remembered the place. Only that it was huge, ancient, and filled with places to explore. Even better, her parents had invited her best friend Iva to stay with them for the summer as Iva's parents were abroad and she cringed at the idea of staying with her stuffy aunt in Yorkshire.

Now Emma was waiting for Iva to make it to the train station. She had told her that the train left 4:00 sharp. Where was she? Just as Emma was about to give up, she heard the sound of running footsteps and heard a few people muttering about someone being rude. Sure enough, Iva pushed through the crowd of people to find Emma. Her cheeks were red, and she was dragging her red and black plaid duffle bag as if it weighed a ton.

"Emma, thank goodness. I didn't think I was going to make it on time. The bus was running so late because a little old woman dropped her groceries in the lane."

Emma grinned despite herself. It was difficult to stay mad at Iva for long. "That's alright," she said as the train whistle blew. "You just made it."

"All aboard!" cried out the conductor. Emma grabbed her dark blue duffle and led Iva onto the train. They found an empty compartment and stowed their luggage on the rack above their heads. Emma sighed a sigh of relief as the train began to move, heading them away from Saint Finbar's and back toward home.

"Glad to be going home?" Iva asked as if reading her mind.

"Yes, finals were horrid. I know I didn't do well on Mathematics. I think I did fine with Physics and English as well as World History."

"Speak for yourself, I couldn't remember who was king when and which one offed all his wives." While Emma usually got top marks, Iva passed with average grades. She didn't apply herself, Emma told her. Iva just shrugged whenever Emma said this.

"King Henry VIII," Emma said automatically.

"Whatever. Not important. I know what history I'd rather be studying," she said, leaning forward and whispering conspiratorially.

Emma nodded sadly. It had been two years since their journey to Narnia. Emma was beginning to wonder if they really would be going back. She missed it. She knew Iva did to. Real life didn't seem quite so interesting when you knew what lay beyond. She often dreamed of fauns and centaurs and Cair Paravel.

"Do you suppose we'll ever go back?" Iva asked, voicing Emma's worries.

"I don't know. I hope so. I thought so, but it's been so long. Or maybe it just seems like a long time."

"Both." Iva sighed, slouching back in the seat. Emma studied her friend. Two years before Iva had been a chubby bully with ratty red hair, bold freckles, and a scowl that could frighten a lion. Now she was slimmer, helped by her newfound love for cricket and fencing, her cheeks smoother and dappled with light freckles. She had cut her red hair and styled it in a bob to fit the newest fashion in London. She also smiled much more often. She never bullied anyone anymore and had started a group at school that advocated anti-bullying. She'd also become the most loyal friend Emma could ever ask for. Emma was excited to spend the summer exploring the estate with her friend. It would be a good distraction for them. They'd spent all of finals week half-joking about being whisked away on an adventure and not having to complete their tests.

"Only time pauses here, remember?" Emma had reminded Iva.

"Well, maybe something will go faulty and we'll just skip finals week," Iva had suggested hopefully.

No matter how much they hoped, nothing happened. They took their finals like the rest of their classmates and finished out their second year at Saint Finbar's. Emma loved school, she really did, but it was difficult to settle into such a life of being a student once exposed to another world filled with magical creatures and adventures. It was like being given a real pony for a few days and then having it replaced with a stuffed one. She'd tried to be strong, forget about what had happened, but that was impossible. Her desire to return was too strong. Somewhere deep inside of her there was a clock ticking off the seconds until her return. She just didn't know when it would happen. _But it will_, she kept telling herself. _It has to_.

…

The train ride was over two hours and it was dinnertime when they reached the stop. It was a small country stop, hardly more than a couple of benches and a sign indicating they were in St. Mosley Township. A country drive led away from the train tracks, and Emma started off that direction, lugging her bag with her.

"We have to walk all the way?" Iva asked indignantly, the old Iva coming back.

Emma had to agree. "I thought Father was going to come pick us up, but perhaps he got busy. He tends to do that when he's working on a case." Her father was a lawyer and often went away to London on business. Her mother had run a florist shop before they had moved. Now she spent time at the house, arranging matters with the staff and planning out dinner parties. What a bore, Emma thought. She missed their old flat in London, even if it had been a little on the small side. But the thought of exploring the mansion did excite her. The grounds were huge as well, and her father had bought some horses for hunting. Emma did not intend to go hunting with him and had put up quite a fuss when he had told her he intended to hunt this summer in his spare time, but she did mean to take advantage of the horses. They wouldn't be the same as Windflower or Kaspar and especially not Ethelas, but they would do.

"It's just around that bend," Emma assured her friend as they dragged their luggage onward, tiring under the warn sun. There was a hot wind too that tugged at their hair and made them sweat under their knit sweaters.

"That's it," Iva said, setting down her bag in the middle of the road and sending a puff of dust up. "I can't take this sun anymore." She tugged off her red cardigan that clashed violently with her red hair and tied it around her waist. Her short-sleeved blouse did look cooler. Emma did the same, tying off her navy blue cardigan and enjoying the refreshing breeze that tickled her bare arms.

The walk wasn't so bad after that. They made conversation to distract themselves, joking about the new French teacher at Saint Finbar who resembled a vulture and commenting on the scenery as they passed apple orchards and farmland. Finally, as Emma's stomach began to grumble, the tall mansion rose into sight. It looked even larger to Emma after not having set eyes on it for some years. A neat drive ran up to it, and the mansion itself was shaded by tall trees. The lawn was neatly trimmed, and the house kept clean with white paneling and shuttered windows.

"Wow." Iva had stopped in her tracks. "Is _that_ your house?" she asked in astonishment. "That could fit my whole village in it!" Iva, who had grown up on a farm, had never seen such a grand estate. Emma felt embarrassed.

"Yeah. It seems a little ridiculous for three people to live there. Well, plus the staff."

"Staff?" Iva turned wide eyes to Emma.

"You know, kitchen help, maids, gardener," Emma rambled off, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Just to help keep the estate running."

"So you mean I won't have to do my own laundry or make my own bed?" Iva asked.

"Yeah, exactly."

"I can live with that." Iva grinned. "Race you!" She took off at an awkward pace due to her heavy duffle bag. Emma laughed, racing after her. They made good time, Emma passing Iva and reaching the door first. She hesitated for a moment.

"What is it?" Iva asked, coming up behind her and panting.

"It's just… I haven't really lived here yet. It seems weird just walking in without knocking."

Iva rolled her eyes. "It's _your_ house. I'd be weird to knock."

"You're right," Emma agreed, plucking up the nerve to open the door. They entered a grand foyer, both of their mouths opening in astonishment.

"Wow," Iva repeated.

Emma nodded mutely. No one came out to greet her, and she felt a little nervous. Had they gotten the right house? Just when she was about to head out the door and walk to the next house, she spotted a maid. As soon as the woman saw the two girls standing in the foyer, she rushed down the stairs.

"You must be Miss Emma and Miss Iva?" she half asked, half stated.

"Yes, I'm Emma."

"Welcome to Mosley House," the maid said, curtsying. Emma watched her awkwardly, wondering if she ought to curtsy back. "I'll take your bags and show you your rooms. Your mother and father thought you might want to pick out which room you'd like, so I'll show you a few choices," she said, taking their bags and lifting them with ease. She headed toward the staircase. "Just this way," she said, looking back.

The two girls exchanged a glance before following the maid up the stairs and down a long hallway.


	2. Chapter Two

Part Two: The Looking Glass

Their footsteps echoed around the hall creating the illusion of more than three sets of feet. The wood paneled walls were decorated with simplistic paintings of foxhunts, regal looking horses, and the estate. To Emma, it all seemed a little over the top. She missed the quaint little paintings her mother had picked up in the marketplace – those of little sailboats or the one of the white Scottie dog. Life already seemed so much more complicated and she hadn't even seen her room yet. The maid led them down yet another hall, explaining that this led to the West Wing of the house. "The bedrooms are situated in the West Wing," she told them. "East Wing is where Mr. Dowers has his office and library. That's also where the Gentleman's sitting room is." She went on to tell them where every other room on the estate was and by the time they had reached the bedrooms, Emma's mind was quite overloaded with all the information. She had to bite her tongue so she didn't ask for a map. She looked over at Iva who was staring at the maid with a mixture of awe and confusion.

"Here we are," the maid interrupted Emma's thoughts. "You can choose from any of these rooms. The bathrooms are just down the hall. I'll wait here with your bags."

Emma and Iva took turns opening doors and peering into the grand bedrooms. They stopped at the very last two on the left side of the hall. "These ones," Iva said, making up their minds. "They've got the best view." She settled on one room while Emma took the other one. Iva had been generous in letting Emma take the room with a view of both the side of the estate and the back. The room was decorated with bright yellow floral wallpaper with white boards that went a quarter of the way up the wall. There was a plush white carpet underfoot, and she hastily kicked off her dusty shoes and set them on a rug that lay next to the door. The bed was a huge four-poster with a yellow comforter and plush pillows. The windows on the west side had a window seat below them set with pillows and a yellow and white striped cushion.

The maid had set her bag down now and looked at her questioningly. "Would you like me to help you unpack, Miss Emma?" she asked, awaiting instruction.

"What? Oh, no thank you," Emma told her. "I'll be fine." She smiled, and the maid curtsied before leaving. "Oh, are my parents home?" Emma asked as an afterthought.

"Oh, no, Miss, they left for a few days to visit your aunt in Cambridge. She's feeling a bit under the weather. They should be back tomorrow though."

"Oh, alright. Thank you." She watched the maid leave, feeling a little alone in the great house without her mother and father.

She took some time to unpack her belongings, trying to make the room seem like home. She placed some of her favorite photographs on her nightstand – one of her and Iva next to a lion statue in London, another of her and Lucy at Saint Finbar, one of her parents and her on their vacation to Wales, and finally, one of Iva playing cricket, bent and holding the cricket bat like a weapon. She smiled at this one.

"Have you _seen_ the bathrooms?" Iva asked, coming into Emma's room and flopping onto the bed.

"Not yet."

"They're massive! I hardly wanted to touch the soap – it was shaped like roses!" Iva exclaimed.

"This is so strange. My parents never cared about stuff like this. Maybe they still don't."

"But you're rich now. You can do whatever you like!"

Emma laughed. "Then I want to play cricket in the backyard, gallop horses all over the countryside, play hide and seek in all the rooms in the house, and bake cookies until we fill the kitchen with them. How does that sound?"

Iva smiled, dimples forming at the corners of her mouth. "Sounds good to me. Where should we start?"

"Let's start by exploring the house."

"Hang on, I want to change out of these itchy school clothes first," Iva said, tugging at her woolen skirt.

"Good idea."

Five minutes later, both girls met in the hall. Emma was wearing a knee-length cotton skirt with a soft white blouse under a navy sweater. She'd replaced her saddle shoes with navy blue flats that buckled across the top.

"A picture of primness," Iva commented. She had changed into her cricket shorts – flowing tan pants that went down to her ankles, boys shoes, and a rather loose button-up blouse. Somehow she pulled it off without looking a complete sight.

"You look like a boy," Emma retorted. Iva stuck out her tongue.

"Where do we begin?" she asked, becoming serious again as they made their way to the foyer.

"Anywhere. How about the East Wing? We know it's all bedrooms in the West Wing." Emma led them toward the West Wing, keeping her ears alert for the sounds of any house staff. Even though it was her own house now, she felt as if she were intruding on someone else's house. The staff had probably been there long before she had even been born. Iva obviously didn't feel the same way. She made no effort to be quiet while Emma tiptoed along beside her. They found their way to the study. It was a complete disaster. Emma could see where her father had been going through paperwork and all of his father-in-law's belongings. It looked like an arduous task, and Emma didn't envy him that.

"What a mess," Iva said.

"Well, it's a lot of stuff to go through. I can't imagine it's an easy task nor a quick one."

"Let's check out the library. That should make _you_ happy," Iva said. Emma loved a good novel – especially ones that included talking animals and fantasy worlds – but Iva was proud to tell anyone that would listen that she never cracked a book outside of school. Emma knew she was lying. She'd seen Iva tucked away under the covers of her bed late at night reading one of Emma's fantasy books.

The library had towering bookshelves that felt the girls feel tiny. Emma felt her mouth open in wonderment and only closed it when Iva laughed at her. Windows filled the east wall, making the room bright and cheerful. Plush chairs sat in the very center of the room with large lamps standing beside them. A fireplace sat against the south wall, large and made of a sleek grey-white stone. The fire had been lit as if the room had been expecting company. Emma went over to sit in one of the chairs, looking all around her and picturing spending hours pouring over the books that towered all around her.

"Okay, well, I'll see you in two months," Iva said, heading toward the door.

Emma laughed. "I'll only spend half my time here. Promise." She stood and was about to head after Iva when she noticed a tall object covered with a rough green blanket. She walked over to it, fingers outstretched as if of their own accord, and tugged at the blanket. It fell free revealing a tall mirror. The frame was intricate and made of tarnished silver. She stepped back until it caught the reflection of the fireplace in it. Something was odd about the reflection though. She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out what was different. The flames, she decided. They moved slower, they were dying, turning into embers. She looked back at the real fireplace but the flames were cracking merrily. She turned back to the mirror, gasping when she saw what was now reflected. It was a key, she realized. The fire had died completely leaving a rusty silver key inside the fireplace. She felt her heart beat out a heavy staccato as she approached the reflection. She reached a tentative hand forward, doubt nagging her. Her fingers brushed the surface. Solid glass. She tried to reach for the key, but she couldn't reach into the mirror. She stood back, feeling frustrated.

Obviously this was no ordinary mirror but then why couldn't she reach the key. "I wonder." She looked over at the real fire but she had nothing to douse the flames. "I'll come back later," she decided aloud, replacing the blanket over the mirror.

"Coming?" she heard Iva's impatient call from the hallway. Emma turned to follow her, eyes straying back to the covered mirror. Tonight, she decided. She would come back tonight and look at the mirror and the fireplace closer.

…

Moonlight flooded through the windows in Emma's bedroom. She awoke with a start. It was almost as if someone had been calling her. She felt drawn toward the library where she knew the mirror awaited her. She changed into a cotton dress that her mother had gotten her for her birthday the previous summer, navy blue with white buttons and a squared off collar. She slipped into her navy blue flats and pulled on a white cardigan. Tiptoeing down the hallway, Emma made her way to the library, walking slowly to avoid tripping in the darkness.

The library doors stood before her, and she pushed them open. The room was nearly pitch dark but for the pale moonlight that flooded the room through the windows. She turned on one of the lamps and went over to the fireplace. The fire had been put out, but there was no key. Something called Emma back to the mirror. She pulled the blanket off again, stepping back with surprise. The fire was blazing merrily within the reflection in the mirror. There was no key that she could see. Her eyes turned back to the real fireplace. Glinting silver in the moonlight was a key, ornate and very old by the looks of it. Emma stepped forward, putting out a shaky hand to pull the key from the soot. She looked back at the mirror where a keyhole had appeared at the edge. Excitement trembled within her. This was it. She was going back to Narnia. But there was something she had to do first.

She was pounding on Iva's door a few minutes later. The girl's face appeared, hair sticking out in all directions.

"Heavens! What is it?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Narnia! I-I think I've found it!" Emma gasped for breath.

This woke up Iva. "What? Where?!"

"Get dressed and come with me!" Emma told her. Iva was dressed in a minute, her hair brushed so it lay flat. They hurried down to the library, Emma showing Iva the key and explaining what had happened.

When they reached the library, Iva looked into the mirror. "The fire…" She looked at Emma for askance. Emma shrugged.

"Look at the keyhole," she said.

"Try it!" Iva said eagerly.

Emma held the key out, delicately slipping it into the keyhole. It fit perfectly and turned. The mirror swung forward. Emma and Iva stood peering into the dark corridor that led beyond.

"After you," Iva told Emma. Emma put a foot into the mirror and then the other, climbing into it. It was so surreal, and she had to keep reminding herself that this wasn't a dream. Iva climbed in after them. The tunnel went on and on into the darkness, but Emma pressed forward, her hands running along the brick walls on either side of her. And then the breeze hit her: warm, languid. She could smell the sea; hear the rush of a river. She stepped onto grass, Iva right behind her.

"Welcome back," Emma said, grinning brightly.


	3. Chapter Three

Part Three: Rilian

They found themselves in the middle of a green clearing. It was spring. It had to be with the flowers in blossom and the trees laden with foliage. A few white deer grazed nearby, lifting their heads to gaze at Emma and Iva with curious eyes. Emma looked back to see that the mirror was set in between two tall oak trees. Their roots twisted around to form a staircase and the branches framed the mirror. The mirror shimmered welcomingly, but Emma had no intention of going back yet. She turned to Iva.

"I'll race you," she said, grinning.

"Where?"

"Anywhere!" Emma laughed, taking off at high speed. Her short dark hair fanned out behind her and she heard Iva laughing next to her. The deer scattered but then came back to run alongside the girls, jumping gracefully up and down with each stride. The river glimmered up ahead. "To the river!" Emma called out to Iva.

They ran neck and neck until they reached the edge of the river. Emma stopped short, but Iva ran straight into the clear blue water. She splashed it back at Emma, laughing uncontrollably.

"Hey!" Emma found herself laughing too. It was so peaceful and happy there. She felt everything she had ever worried about falling off of her shoulders like dead leaves. Happiness blossomed within her. She sat down on the soft grass, falling backward and letting it engulf her. The air was warm and pleasant and she tried to find shapes in the clouds. Iva sloshed out of the water to join her and they lay there for a countless amount of time, perfectly content.

When the sun reached its zenith, Emma sat up, looking around her. "We should probably try to figure out where we are," she said to Iva. "I don't recognize the landscape."

On the other side of the river there was a cherry tree. It stood red and blushing in its spring glory. Emma felt drawn to it. "Let's go over to that tree," she said.

"Why?" Iva asked making a face. "We'll have to get wet again."

"You didn't seem to mind the first time," Emma told her, grinning.

"But I just got dry."

"Take off your shoes then!" Emma took off her own shoes, wading out into the river. It wasn't too deep, but the bottom of her dress got a little wet toward the middle. Iva sloshed behind her. When they reached the other side, Emma went up to the tree, putting a hand against the smooth bark of the trunk. "Remember how the trees could talk here?" Emma asked.

"They probably still can," Iva replied. "A bit unnatural, if you ask me."

"And coming into another world through a mirror isn't?" Emma asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Well, okay, you've got me there."

Before Emma could reply, she heard a loud sound coming from the woods across the way. There was a rustling and the sound of running hooves. A great white stag leapt from the trees. His eyes were wild with fear. He was beautiful, but Emma could tell right away that he could not speak. His wide eyes though intelligent were different from the talking creatures she had encountered. That didn't matter though; she wanted to help him. She ran toward him. Iva stayed by the cherry tree, looking unsure.

"Whoa, calm down," Emma said, reaching up her hands to the stag. He stopped short, bowing his head to look at her. He might not be able to talk, but he listened to her as she cooed to him. "What's gotten you so afraid?" she asked. Just then there was more rustling in the woods and a rider burst out of the trees. He was astride a great black warhorse that thundered across the clearing. The rider held a crossbow that was aimed straight at the stag. Without thinking, Emma threw herself in front of the animal. The boy cursed, pulling up the bow before accidentally shooting her. The stag took off and he aimed again but missed, the arrow splashing into the stream as the stag leapt over it and disappeared into the distance.

The rider cursed again, watching the stag retreat before turning fiery eyes on Emma. "What in the Minotaur's name were you doing?" he asked angrily, leaping off the great horse and striding up to her.

"Saving that stag," she said boldly. "What business did you have trying to kill it?"

The boy lifted a dark eyebrow. "What business did I have trying to kill it? Have you never hunted before?"

"No. I don't believe in hurting animals. Surely a Narnian would hold the same beliefs."

"Oh, right, so just because some animals talk, we can't kill any at all. Is that what you're saying?" Sarcasm coated his words, and Emma found herself heating up.

"So what if it is?" she asked angrily.

The boy scrutinized her for a moment, arching his eyebrows in thought. He wasn't bad looking, Emma realized at once. She kicked herself for thinking so. He had delicate features with dark eyes and brows. His hair was almost black, but she could see bits of dark brown in the sun. His skin was tan from spending time in the sun. He looked to be around her age, maybe a year older. "Who are you anyway?" he asked, bringing Emma back to the present. His tone was anything but handsome. It was filled with derision that she instantly despised.

"I'm Emma Dowers," she said. "And that's Iva."

"You're obviously not Narnian," the boy said, eyeing her dress. "By the way you dress, you must be from Anvard or somewhere foreign like that."

"No, we're not from Narnia."

"That's what I just said."

"I mean, we're from another world," Emma corrected. "The same one as High King Peter and his siblings."

This caused a reaction. The boy looked at her with narrowed eyes, but she could see the curiosity darting in their depths. "Really?" he asked, this time without sarcasm.

"Yes, really. I'm good friends with Queen Lucy." Maybe that was over the top, but she wanted to surprise the boy. "Now where are we exactly?"

"You're near the Dancing Lawn. I was out hunting, but I'm headed back to Cair Paravel. My trip hasn't been a success." He glared at her.

"We'll come with you," Emma said.

"Oh, you will, will you?"

"Yes. You obviously know the way. We don't."

"How do you know you can trust me?" he asked, adjusting his crossbow.

Emma looked down at the weapon cautiously. It was a good question. He didn't look friendly, but he also didn't look dangerous.

"Don't worry," the boy told her, "if I was going to shoot you, I would have when you first opened your mouth."

Emma opened her mouth at these words, but shut it at once. A smug smile formed on his face.

"Fine. I'll take you to Cair Paravel." He turned back to his horse, stowing his crossbow on the back of the saddle. "Come on then, it's a two day journey." He grabbed the reins and started walking east.

"Well, isn't he charming," Iva said, coming up behind Emma. Emma was surprised her friend had kept her mouth shut the entire time.

"Oh, yes. If I knew the way to Cair Paravel, I would never go with him," Emma fumed.

"Still though, good looking." She smirked.

"Doesn't outweigh his rudeness," Emma retorted. "Come on, I don't want to get left behind.

They caught up with the boy. He ignored them, leading his horse on as if he were alone.

"I don't even know your name," Emma said, coming up beside him. He turned to survey her. "I've told you mine," she added.

"So you have." He didn't speak for a moment, and Emma didn't think he was going to tell her. "Rilian," he finally answered. "My name is Rilian."

"Then it's nice to meet you Rilian," Emma said, attempting to be friendly.

"I would say the same, but you chased away my stag after throwing yourself in front of my arrow."

"Is this going to be a sore point for the entire journey?" Emma asked irritably.

"Probably," Rilian said, his voice almost cheerful. Emma muttered under her breath before falling back to walk alongside Iva. She thought she heard Rilian chuckling but chose to ignore it.

"What a prick," she told Iva. Iva laughed. "What?" Emma asked, throwing Iva a glare.

"It takes a lot for you to call someone a prick."

"Well, he more than deserves it." Iva just chuckled.

"Keep up," Rilian called back. "I'm making the trip in two days whether you are or not."

Emma glowered at him before picking up her pace. "The sooner we get to Cair Paravel, the better," she muttered.

* * *

_Author's Note: So, I forget if I've already said this, but it's been so long since I've read _The Silver Chair _so I'm just going to make up my own characterization for Rilian. I'm sure he's nicer than I make him in the C.S. Lewis stories, but I wanted him to be ... challenging shall we say. _


	4. Chapter Four

Part Four: Bandits

"So how long have you lived in Cair Paravel?" Emma asked Rilian when they stopped to rest for a few minutes.

For a moment, she didn't think he was going to answer her. "My whole life," he finally said without looking at her. "Have you been there before?"

"Yes, I have. We both have," Emma replied.

"When? I think I would remember you." The way he said it didn't sound like a compliment.

"Two years ago when King Caspian was sick. I helped save him," Emma added, not really knowing why.

"A year ago?" Rilian looked at her this time, his dark brow cocked in confusion. "King Caspian was sick over eighteen years ago."

"Eighteen years?!" It was Emma's turn to be confused. "But I was just here two years ago…."

"Time moves differently in Narnia," Rilian told her.

"So a year in my world could be eighteen years in Narnia."

"Exactly."

"Then why was I sent back eighteen years later?" Emma asked herself.

Rilian cast her an annoyed look. "What makes you think you were _sent_ back?"

"Because I was sent here before for a specific purpose. To save King Caspian."

"Wait." Rilian put up a hand. "Wait, you're _the_ Emma? The Emma who saved the king's life?"

"Yes. You've heard of me?" Emma asked him.

"Have I heard of you? _Everyone_ has heard of you Emma Dowers. I just didn't make the connection at first. You could say you're a bit of a hero in Cair Paravel."

"Oh, I didn't realize." Emma felt herself blushing.

"Many people were grateful for what you did. I know I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for you."

Emma looked up, unsure if he was being serious or sarcastic. His eyes were unreadable though and before Emma had a chance to ask what he meant, Iva came trotting up.

"Are we going to dawdle here all day?" she asked. "Let's get moving."

Emma and Rilian exchanged a glance. "Well, I guess we know who's in charge," Rilian said quietly to Emma. She smiled. Rilian grabbed the reins of his warhorse and led them on. The sun was beginning to lower in the sky as they passed through a glade and into the outskirts of a forest. Emma's feet were beginning to ache, but she didn't want to be the one to suggest they stop to rest. As they wound their way deeper into the forest, Emma wondered if Rilian even meant to stop or if he wanted to walk straight to Cair Paravel just to spite her.

At last, he stopped and said, "Let's make camp here."

The sun had all but faded from the sky, leaving the land drenched in grey tones. Rilian had stopped them in a clearing surrounded by heavily rooted trees. It seemed safe enough though Emma wondered if there was anything to feel insecure about. The last time she had been in Narnia, they had purged the land of many evils. But eighteen years had passed. The Narnia she stood in now was not the Narnia she had left eighteen years before. _What a silly notion, _she thought to herself. _I'm not even eighteen years old_.

Rilian unsaddled his horse, turning to Emma and Iva. "You start gathering fire wood," he aimed at Iva. "You start making camp." He tossed Emma a rolled up blanket. "I've only got two blankets, so someone is going to be cold tonight."

Iva and Emma exchanged glances while Rilian fed and watered his horse, completely ignoring the girls. "Well isn't he the gentleman?" Iva said hotly, putting her hands on her hips. Emma started to unfold the blanket.

"Well, better get that firewood or we'll all be cold tonight," she said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Right." Iva sounded doubtful, but she wandered off into the woods in search of firewood. Emma went to grab the other blanket from the saddlebag and set out a small meal for them. Rilian watched her silently as she distributed the food.

"What?" she snapped. "Are we allowed to share your food or do we need to find our own?" Rilian only looked amused at her anger.

"No, that's fine. Can't say it will last us another day. If I had succeeded in my hunting trip, _then_ we'd have something to eat."

"Oh, not that again." Emma felt exasperated. Rilian smirked.

"It's just a fact that you're going to have to deal with. You scared away our food."

Emma chose to ignore that comment. "What has changed in the last eighteen years?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"A lot, I would expect."

"Helpful."

"The giants didn't come back nor did the wild men, if that's what you're wondering. I might not have been born yet when all this was happening, but I know all about it. After you found the cure and healed the king, things went very well for Narnia. You could say that everything was perfect for quite some time."

"But?"

"But all things come to an end. The queen is ailing. She hides it well, but she was not born of this land. She misses home."

"You mean my world."

"Yes. I don't understand it. She has everything here."

"Except her family."

"She has her brother. And the king and…." he trailed off. "That sound be enough."

"But she lost her parents when she came here. I can't even imagine how hard that would be."

"You're here. Do you miss your parents?" Rilian asked.

"Well, yes, I suppose. But I haven't been away very long. Eve can't ever go back."

"You speak as if you know her well." There was something guarded about his tone.

"Well, yes, I'd like to think so. We might not have known each other long, but she's an easy person to get to know."

Just then Iva returned with an armful of wood. She set it down in the center of the clearing and started building a perfect campfire. Rilian looked amused. "Quite the little outdoors woman, aren't you?" he asked.

"I'm a Girl Scout back at home," she replied snippily.

"A what?" Rilian looked at Iva curiously.

"A Girl Scout. We learn all about how to survive out in the wild and other such important things that aren't always just for boys."

Rilian laughed. "You two are full of surprises, aren't you?" He continued to chuckle as Iva started a fire with two stones. "You two can each have a blanket, I'll use my cloak for a blanket," he said after a time. Iva and Emma exchanged a glance. "You didn't really think I was going to make you sleep without any source of warmth, did you?" Rilian asked, looking between the two of them. When they didn't answer he began to chuckle again. Emma shot him a glare before laying down and pulling the soft blanket up to her chin. The crackling of the fire was lulling and after Rilian had lain down across from them and had stopped laughing, she found that she was exhausted enough to fall straight asleep.

It must have been very early in the morning – too early for any light to penetrate the darkness – that Rilian shook her awake, his dark eyes matching the sky as he looked down at her, his hand slipping over her mouth as she started awake. He put a finger to his lips before removing his hand from her mouth. She sat up, looking anxiously around.

"What is it?" she whispered. Rilian leaned close to her so that his forehead nearly brushed hers.

"Bandits," he said quietly. His breath tickled her face. "They must have seen our fire."

"You didn't tell me there were bandits out here!" Emma whispered angrily.

Rilian looked amused by her indignation. "I didn't want to frighten you," he replied.

"Well, thanks for that. What do we do?"

"I'm going to slip away and wait until they've come to the camp. Then I'll come in and take them out."

"So we're basically bait," Emma motioned toward Iva.

"Yes. That sounds about right."

Emma narrowed her eyes. "How many are there?"

"I'm not sure. Probably about four."

"And you're going to take them all on by yourself?" Emma was doubtful.

"Yes."

"Well, if you're fighting skills are half as good at your ability to be completely arrogant, then I'd say we have a good chance of survival."

"Such a charmer." Rilian seemed to be enjoying himself. Emma realized how close they were and made to move back, but Rilian's hand stayed her, placed gently on her back. "Just pretend to be asleep," he whispered. "I'll take them out before they even get to you."

"You'd better," Emma's voice came out rather breathless. Rilian seemed to notice because a smile curved the edges of his lips. He slid his hand away from her back and stood, taking up his sword and slipping away into the dark forest without another word. Emma lay back down, closing her eyes. She waited for what seemed hours until she heard the crack of a branch, hardly audible but still so loud in the silent night. Her body was tense as she lay there. She opened her eyes just a sliver and thought she saw movement within the trees. She didn't know if it was Rilian or one of the bandits, but she felt a stab of fear.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw four shapes emerge silently from the trees. They crept forward, looking around the camp for anything they might steal. She saw one of them motion toward the horse. Before they had a chance to step any further, there was a great cry and Rilian came charging into the clearing. Iva awoke with a start, grabbing one of the flaming pieces of wood and leaping at one of the bandits. Emma started with surprise, throwing off the blanket and grabbing the nearest thing to a weapon she found find which turned out to be a rock. One of the bandits came close to her and she hurled it at him, knocking him out. She jumped with surprise, not expecting that to have worked. Rilian had sent two of them running for the woods while the third was frantically patting out little sparks of fire that had caught his cloak on fire. Rilian brandished his sword at him and the bandit took off into the woods.

Rilian turned to Emma and Iva. "I had that handled," was all he said.

"Remember what I said before?" Iva said. "I'm a Girl Scout. I'm prepared for anything."

Emma and Rilian exchanged a glance before breaking out into laughter. Iva chuckled along. "Well, that was easier than expected," Rilian said finally. "Let's tie this one up and then get some rest."

"Will they come back?" Emma asked.

"Not unless they want to face two wild girls again," Rilian said jokingly.

"We did give them quite the shock," Iva said.

"Maybe it won't be so bad having you two along for the rest of the journey," Rilian said thoughtfully. "Even if you do scare away everything along the way." He smirked at Emma who rolled her eyes.


End file.
